Mayor Eric Adams announced the pilot program, known as “Liberty Link,” for 2,200 households across 35 affordable housing buildings, including those using Section 8, in upper Manhattan and the Bronx.
“Whether it’s finding a job, filling a prescription, or applying for childcare, the Internet is no longer a luxury; it’s an essential service. But when we came into office, too many New Yorkers were disconnected from the Internet, which is why we launched our ‘Big Apple Connect’ program to bring free broadband to hundreds of thousands of NYCHA residents,” Adams said. “Today, we are doubling down on those efforts and expanding our free Wi-Fi services to thousands of new Section 8 and affordable housing tenants with ‘Liberty Link.’”
The city Office of Technology and Innovation launched “Big Apple Connect” in Sept. 2022 as a way to bring free Internet service to residents living in New York City Housing Authority developments, and “Liberty Link” aims to do the same for those living in 100% affordable housing developments.
The city Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the New York Public Library are leading the new initiative.
The library system will connect the buildings to fiber Internet and deploy building-wide Wi-Fi infrastructure, and $3.25 million from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development will help support the new Internet network.
“At HPD, we talk a lot about housing as a foundation. But today is about what we build on top of that foundation: access to jobs, education, health care — all of which increasingly depend on access to the Internet,” said HPD acting Commissioner Tigani. “For the families we serve, the Internet isn’t a luxury — it’s how you find a job, get your kids through school, stay connected to health care and community. With ‘Liberty Link,’ we’re meeting people where they are and removing a barrier that’s held too many New Yorkers back for far too long.”
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